1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a container with a sealing lid, and more particularly to a specimen container having a lid with a conically shaped interior and an audible locking mechanism.
2. Background Art
Liquids such as biological samples are often collected during medical procedures and testing. These liquids are generally collected in a container. A lid is then attached to the container so that the liquid can be transported or stored.
The design of containers and closures suitable for use in these medical procedures can be troublesome. To be effective, the seal between container and lid must be reliable, water-tight, and air tight. In many procedures, the possibility of even a small amount of the liquid leaking from the container is unacceptable.
To further complicate matters, containers carrying biological samples are often exposed to varying environmental forces. For example, during transport or storage specimen containers may be exposed to varying exterior pressure, varying internal pressure, and varying temperature. For example, in some applications the specimen stored within the container may cause the internal pressure within the container to create a pressure differential. Similarly, some transport modes can create pressure differentials from the exterior of the container. Further, the integrity of the seal between container and lid must remain even under mechanical shock, such as when the container is dropped. Any of these factors can cause a container and lid system to leak.
There is thus a need for an improved container and lid system that remains leak-proof in a variety of environments.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.